Definitions

yáng to feign; to pretend

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound.

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character "佯", meaning to pretend or feign, is structured with the human radical "亻" combined with the phonetic component "羊", a formation that suggests a connection between human simulation and the perceived behavior of sheep, though the exact etymological basis is not definitively established. Historically, this character has been employed in classical Chinese literature to describe various acts of deception, such as feigning ignorance or executing strategic feints, with its core meaning of deliberate false appearance remaining stable over time. In modern usage, it persists primarily within compound words that denote simulated actions, reflecting its enduring semantic focus on pretense without significant alteration.

Example Sentences Hide

装不知道。

Tā yángzhuāng bù zhīdào.

He pretended not to know.

小猫装在睡觉。

Xiǎo māo yángzhuāng zài shuìjiào.

The kitten pretended to be sleeping.

装高兴地笑了。

Tā yángzhuāng gāoxìng de xiào le.

She pretended to be happy and smiled.

士兵们攻敌人阵地。

Shìbīngmen yánggōng dírén zhèndì.

The soldiers feigned an attack on the enemy position.

装生病以逃避考试。

Tā yángzhuāng shēngbìng yǐ táobì kǎoshì.

He pretended to be sick to avoid the exam.

在谈判中,他装不满意的样子。

Zài tánpàn zhōng, tā yángzhuāng bù mǎnyì de yàngzi.

During the negotiation, he pretended to be dissatisfied.

为了迷惑对手,球队装要传球。

Wèile míhuò duìshǒu, qiúduì yángzhuāng yào chuánqiú.

To confuse the opponent, the team pretended to pass the ball.

尽管内心紧张,他仍装镇定地发言。

Jǐnguǎn nèixīn jǐnzhāng, tā réng yángzhuāng zhèndìng de fāyán.

Despite being nervous inside, he still pretended to be calm and spoke.